V.C.'s Gained in the Salient and Belgium.
78
The Ypres Times.
In this number we publish accounts of two V.C's., Major Tubb and Captain
Grenfell, because, though they did not gain their crosses in the Salient, they both
subsequently lost their lives there.
Captain Edward Donald BELLEW,
7th Canadian Infantry Battalion,
(British Columbia Regiment).
For most conspicuous bravery arid devo
tion to duty near Keerselaere on 24th April,
1915, during the German attack on the
Ypres Salient. Captain (then Lieut.)
Bellew, as Battalion Machine Gun Officer,
had two guns in action on the high ground
overlooking Keerselaere. The enemy's
attack broke in full force on the morning
of the 24th against the front and right flank
of the Battalionthe latter being exposed
owing to a gap in the line. The right com
pany was soon put out of action, but the
advance was temporarily stayed by Captain
Bellew, who had sited his guns on the left
of the right company. Reinforcements were
sent forward but they in turn were sur
rounded and destroyed. With the enemy
in strength less than 100 yards from him,
with no further assistance in sight, and with
his rear threatened, Capt. Bellew and
Sergeant Peerless, each operating a gun,
decided to stay where they were and light
it out. Sergeant Peerless was killed and
Capt. Bellew was wounded and fell. Never
theless, he got up and maintained his fire till
ammunition failed and the enemy rushed
the position. Capt. Bellew then seized a
rifle, smashed his machine gun, and fighting
to the last, was taken prisoner.London
GazeLLe, 31st January, 1919.
Extract from an article which appeared
in The Civilian, of Canada
Edward Donald Bellew was born in 1882,
at Malabar Hill, Bombay, his father, Major
Patrick Bellew, formerly of the Indian
Army, being assay-master of the Bombay
Mint. His grandfather, Major H. W. Bellew,
lost his life in the Afghan War of 1842 and
his great-grandfather, Sir Patrick Bellew,
was military governor cf Quebec in 1798.
The coming V.C. thus came of fighting
stock and inherited as well, perhaps, an
interest in Britain's Empire overseas.
Young Bellew came to Canada in 1907,
and when the War broke out he immediately
volunteered for overseas service, applying
for a commission in the nth Irish Fusiliers
of Canada. In the organisation of the first
Canadian Expeditionary Force he was made
Machine Gun Officer of the 7th Battalion,
and in that capacity he endured the
miseries of Salisbury Plain and finally
went to France in February, 1915.
It was at the ever memorable second
battle of Ypres that Lieut. Bellew ex
perienced a whole life-time of warfare
crowded into a few hours.
While his detachment was covering the
retirement of the battalion to a new position
